(From left) Cllrs James Swindlehurst and Wayne Strutton
THE leader of Slough Borough Council has been urged to resign over ‘indefensible’ financial failures following two damning audit reports.
The opposing Conservatives have demanded councillor James Swindlehurst (Lab: Cippenham Green) step down as leader after external auditors Grant Thornton LLP revealed concerns about the way the council governs its finances.
In their report on the 2018/19 accounts, they highlighted:
insufficient capacity and skills within the finance department
inadequate preparation of financial statements
inadequate general and earmarked revenue reserves
inadequate governance, monitoring and controls over our outside groups and companies
The Tories panned the Labour administration over the ‘deeply alarming’ reports, saying it will be residents who will be paying for Labour’s ‘mess’ and it raises serious questions about the council’s finances and financial governance.